


New Beginnings

by Flyingicecreamtruck



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:09:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28178898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyingicecreamtruck/pseuds/Flyingicecreamtruck
Summary: Aloy can see the beginning of something greater on the horizon.
Relationships: Aloy/Varl (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	New Beginnings

Aloy can hear cheering across the mesa. She lifts her bow in victory and the cheering seemed to double. Beside her, her companions do the same, war cries echoing off the stonework around them.

As the cheering subsides, Varl turns to her. “You did it.”

“We did it, Varl. I couldn't have done this without the three of you. Is everyone all right?”  
She does not see any overt signs of injuries.

“Never better.” Erend says, thumping his breastplate. “Ow! Okay, I may be slightly bruised in places, but its noting a few drinks won't cure.”

Talanah laughed. “No drinks for me, but I think I've earned a long, hot bath.”

“And you?” She turned to Varl, hopeful.

“I will be riding the battle high for a while. After that...” Varl rolls his shoulders and stretches. “I may need some dream willow. Are you all right?”

“I'm fine. Bruises pale. Bones heal.”

Varl laughs, the sound warm and rich, face splitting onto a grin. Her stomach flutters and Aloy can feel a blush bloom across her cheeks.

A snicker sounds from behind her. It quickly turns into a cough as she spins to face Erend, who busies himself with examining a nearby Ravager corpse. Talanah has no such qualms and smirks openly at her. She risks a glance at Varl, but he is not paying the three of them any attention, gaze fixed on her armor. Aloy held out her arm for inspection, grateful for the distraction. 

“I found it in a ruin of the Old Ones. It was an entire suit, but there was no way I would have been able to fight in it, so I pulled it apart and stitched it in to my regular armor.”

Varl poked at her arm and the armor flared under his finger with that familiar, odd twanging sound. He shook his head with another smile. “Only you would dare to go into battle wearing armor from the Old Ones.”

Shouts interrupt her friendly retort. A moment later, several figures appear on the other side of the shattered bridge. Aloy smiles in relief as Vanasha waves an arm, beckoning them over. 

“Little Huntress, you're alive! Thank the Sun,” the other woman cries as they pick their way through the debris and leap across the chasm to reach them. “Is anyone injured? I brought Healers.” She gestured to the two men behind her, flanked by several guards.

“Nothing too serious. It's good to see you. Where's Uthid?”

“He took a wound to the leg. I left him with a Healer and came to find you.” Vanasha glanced past them to the battlefield littered with machine corpses. “Is it done?”

Aloy cannot help her smile of satisfaction. “It is. Hades is gone and Helis is dead.”

“The rest of the Shadow Carja will fall quickly. Oh, how I've longed for this day.”

“How did the city fare?” Erend asked, as they began their decent of the Spire into the fields below. 

“The lower city is badly damaged, but thanks to Aloy's warnings, we were able to evacuate the majority of the civilians. Most of the dead are soldiers or guards.”

“What news of the Nora?”

Vanasha shook her head as she turned to Varl. “I'm sorry. I haven't heard anything.”

Varl turns to her, face creased in worry. “I need to find the others.” She nods and he takes the last few steps at a jump and dashed across the meadow, dodging the bucket line that is forming, and disappears from her sight.

“What a handsome young man.” Vanasha watched him leave, before turning to her, a wicked smile on her face. “How well does he handle his spear? Oh, look at that blush! It's almost as red as your hair. Adorable.”

Wordlessly, Aloy turns and starts for the city, her friends laughter ringing in her ears. 

The laughter dies as they come in sight of Lower Meridian. Vanasha had spoken true. Much of the lower city is a flaming pile of rubble. Aloy can vaguely remember running through it on her way to the Spire, too worried about Hades to truly register the damage. It will take years to rebuild, she knows.

But rescue efforts are already beginning and the four of them lend a hand where ever they can. As the day wears on and they make their way to the upper city, the others leave her. First Erend to find his men and then Vanasha to report to Avad, leaving her with Talanah.

They are in sight of the Hunting Lodge when her Hawk stops, turning to her, face solemn. “Thank you for this fight, Aloy. I will make sure it is entered into the history of the Lodge, so that it will never be forgotten.”

“Thank you,” she said, moved. “ And thank you for taking a chance on me.”

“Of course.” Talanah glanced over at the Lodge. Light streamed from the doorway. “It looks like everything is still standing. I hope this means the baths are working. I think we've earned it.”

Aloy suppressed a groan as they started up the stairs, muscles protesting. The battle was starting to catch up with her. “We definitely have.” The baths that occupied the lower levels were a marvel and had become a regular stop for her every time she visited Meridian. She had gaped like the savage the Carja thought she was, the first time Talanah had taken her there.

Her hopes were dashed a moment later as she heard a voice bellow her name. Despite the jolt of disappointment that surged through her, Aloy could not help but smile. A sound like that could only come from one person.

She turned to see Aratak at the far end of the market, interrogating a terrified stall keeper. At her shout, he turned and bolted towards her.  
“Chieftan, it is good to see you live.” Aratak said, as he caught his breath. “I looked for you at the Nora camp. A young man named Teb asked me to find you. The Nora War Chief has been injured . He said you would want to know.”

Her heart twisted in her chest. Varl. “Yes, thank you. Where is the Nora camp?”

“Come. I will show you.”

The camp was outside the city, on the other side of the river. Several crude shelters had been thrown up to protect the wounded. Inside one, she could see Varl slumped next to Sona's prone body. Teb stood outside, rinsing his hands in a bowl of water. Nora moved aside as she made her way to him, murmuring greetings.

“Aloy, it's good to see you.” Teb gave her an exhausted smile as he dried his hands. “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course.” At his gesture, she followed him a short distance from the camp. “What happened? Will Sona be all right?”

“I believe so, as long as infection doesn't set in.” Teb sighed and glanced back towards camp. “They found her under the corpses of half a dozen machines. It looks like she was cut off from the rest of the Braves. If Ren hadn't spotted her boot...I've sewn up the worst of her wounds and the healer has done her work as well.”

“I know you both have done all you could.”

“Let's hope it was enough.”

She left Teb to his work and went to sit next to Varl. He did not acknowledge her as she settled next to him. Around her, Aloy could hear the quiet murmurs of the Nora braves and the distant sounds of a herd of Striders. They sat quietly until the sun began to slip below the horizon. It was only then that Varl stirred. 

“Does the Goddess hear our prayers, when we are so far from the Sacred Lands?” In the dying light, Varl looks so young and lost that it made her chest ache. She had to look away, watching the shadows lengthen.

Gaia. How could she explain her to Varl and the other Nora? “The Goddess is connected to all parts of this world, not just the Sacred Lands,” she finally said. It was a start.

“That is good to know.” Varl's voice trembled and tears slipped down his cheeks.

It took effort not to reach out and touch him. Where had that impulse come from? “I have not spoken to the Healer, but Teb said she will make a full recovery.” That would take weeks, however, and Sona would not be pleased to be stuck in Mereidian.

“Yes.” Varl wiped his eyes and turned to her.” Thank you for coming. You didn't have to.”

“Of course I did.” Aloy turned her gaze to Sona. The other woman lay still, face pinched in pain, even under the influence of dreamwillow. Bandages covered most of her torso and one leg. “She came when I asked, even though she did not have to.” Sona was the Nora War Chief. Her place was in the Sacred Lands, defending what was left of the tribe.

“She would not have ignored your call, no more then I did.”

Varl's quiet conviction made her stomach twist in new and interesting ways. I would have come just to see you one last time.

“Thank you.” Silence fell again, heavy with something she couldn't identify. Varl seemed to sense it as well. Neither one of them spoke as darkness fell. 

“Aloy.”

Her eyes snapped open, face flaming in shame. How could she have fallen asleep? Varl's hand was on her arm, preventing her from falling over. “I'm sorry,” she blurt out, relived he couldn't see her face.

“You are exhausted,” he said, waving off her apology with a small smile. “Get some sleep.”

It was a testament to how tired she was that she didn't argue with him. With a quiet murmur of thanks, she made her way to the fire in the middle of the Nora camp and stretched out on her bedroll. Sleep claimed her as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next morning, Aloy woke to the sun closer to midday then she would have liked. Around her, the Nora went about their morning. The smell of meat cooking made her stomach rumble loudly. When was the last time she ate?

As if they had heard, a figure appeared in the corner of her eye and a wooden bowl held in front of her face. Nakoa smiled at her exclamation of relief. There was a nasty bruise across one cheek and a cut above her eye, but otherwise the other woman looked fine.

“Eat.” Nakoa said, settling next to her. Aloy didn't need to be told twice. The simple fare of oats and berries, flavored with honey disappeared quickly, as did the meat wrapped in flatbread Nakoa held out. “I came as soon as I heard there were wounded. Thankfully, everyone survived the night.”

“Good.” Aloy glanced around for Varl, but did not see him. Hopefully he had gotten some sleep. “I will make sure to speak to them and give them my thanks.”

“That will certainly help with morale.” Nakoa smirked at her. “Though, you may want to bathe first.”

Aloy could not help but laugh at that. “I probably do smell like a dead animal.” Nakoa echoed her laughter and pointed downstream to another shelter that stood at the river's edge.

Later, clean and dressed in a fresh set of clothing, Aloy was finishing the braids in her hair, when she heard Varl calling her name. She stood and waved him over.

“How is Sona this morning?” she asked, as he drew near.

“Well enough, thank you,” he said, with another rare smile that made her insides flutter. “She woke briefly this morning and asked about you. I told her of our victories over the metal devils. She seemed pleased.”

“Good. I would like to speak with her when she wakes again.”

“I know she would be happy to see you, but that is not why I am here.” Varl gestured back towards the Nora camp. “That woman from yesterday, Vanasha. She is here with a young boy. They are asking for you.”

As they reentered the camp, Aloy saw several of the Nora gathered together in front of Vanasha and Itamen. They were flanked by several other women, holding baskets of food. Vanasha winked at her and nudged Itamen forward. Aloy smothered a smile as the boy drew himself up to his full height, chest puffed out with the importance of his mission.

“My brother, King Avad, wishes to thank the brave Nora for their help in defeating the armies of Helis and sends his fervent hopes that your wounded recover quickly,” he said in a high, childish voice, with all the dignity a five year old could muster. “He also hopes you will accept these gifts as a token of his gratitude and allow him to call upon you in person.”

“Thank you.” Varl said, moving to stand next to her. “We accept his offerings gratefully and ask that he give us a few days to rest and recover our strength.”

Several Braves stepped forward to accept the food without complaint, Aloy noted with relief. As Itamen marched off to deliver Varl's message, she turned to him, surprised but pleased.

“Whatever else, I trust you, Aloy,” Varl said as they turned back to camp. “You trust this man and I admit I have been curious since the Proving. A Carja King who offers formal apologies to Nora Savages and takes a Brave for a War Chief? I am very curious, indeed.”

Hope bloomed in Aloy's chest. “I do trust him. Avad is a good man. He truly wants to bring change to the Carja. It will take time, but I hope that this is the beginning of something better for both our tribes.”

“As you say, Seeker.”

Aloy smiled to herself as they joined the rest of the Braves sorting through the baskets. Though he was still wary, Varl had already shown that he was willing to break Nora tradition. He had never treated her as an Outcast and had been the first to offer his help inside All Mother Mountain. If she could just get him to understand, the others would follow. 

She can see the beginning of something greater on the horizon.


End file.
